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IP for managers – six reasons why

It is our business to turn your intellectual property rights (IPR) into real business value. We believe that your management team should be concerned with IP issues. Here are six specific reasons why:

IP is managementManaging a strategy means aligning all areas of your company in support of the desired strategic direction. This includes the IPR portfolio. A well-managed, up-to-date IPR portfolio eliminates the risk of under-protecting strategically important areas, or overprotecting the wrong areas, and of having costly sleeping portfolios.

IP is marketingEvery commercial operation is – in essence – a quest for uniqueness. Increasing competitive pressure has made it more important than ever to have a differentiated product. With the right IP strategy you can achieve this. One patent or trademark can give some edge, but it takes a combination of patent, trademark and design protection to build a strong and lasting uniqueness. We recommend that your IP strategy be in place long before you develop, design, produce and launch a product.

IP is financingIntellectual property rights are assets with tangible values and belong on the balance sheet. IPR contributes to securing values and reducing risks and – should the need arise – licensing or selling IPR or using IPR as a collateral can be a way of bringing in cash. However, IPR also presents unique risks that you need to be aware of when evaluating your portfolio. Our advice is that you seek the help of a professional partner, like Zacco.

IP is an opportunityIf you are investing in IPR, make sure you are getting value in return. Your company’s IPR can be monetized like any other assets. You can activate them, sell them, license them or swap them without losing control or compromising your competitive edge. This is the beauty of IPR.

IP is informationVarious databases collecting information on IPR represent a wealth of information regarding industries concerned with technology and innovation. By combining and analyzing information related to IPR you can monitor markets, trends and fields of technology. What you find can make all the difference to your operation.

IP is cooperationHow do you get the benefits of “open innovation” without losing control over your assets and investments? Some see IPR as an obstacle to open processes, we see a more intricate picture. Just as IPR can disrupt the open innovation equilibrium, it can also be used to make sure the equilibrium is kept. Do your managers know all there is to know about this?